Around India in 12 fabulous Breweries

29 May , 2015

Did you know that beer is the third most popular drink in the world after tea and water? If you’re a drinker, then you’ve probably contributed to that statistic – after all, who doesn’t like a mug of cold beer on a hot summer’s day? While beer is not yet as popular as hard drinks like whiskey and rum in India, it is quickly climbing the ranks. We all know about large beer breweries like United Breweries that make Kingfisher, or SAB Miller, which brews Foster’s, but as beer popularity has increased, smaller breweries have sprung up all over India that allow a customer the chance to enjoy fresher and more innovative beers. We bring you some of the best breweries around India.

1) Doolally

Where: Mumbai and Pune

Pune has been at the forefront of the craft beer revolution in India, with Pune dwellers responding enthusiastically to a range of microbreweries, of which Doolally was the first. Now, Mumbai has an outlet of Doolally and customers in both cities are enjoying the brewery’s Apple Cider and Oatmeal Stout.

2) Independence Brewing Company

Where: Pune

The Independence Brewing Company strives to offer its patrons a range of internationally inspired beers that are freshly brewed. It offers excellent English ale and Belgian beer.

3) TJ’s BrewWorks

With interactive beer stations and walls painted in beery colors like orange and yellow, this brewery is a beer drinker’s heaven. Favorites are the traditional Belgian Zen Weiss or the chocolaty Devil’s Brew.

4) Gateway Brewing Company

Where: Mumbai

Founders Rahul Mehra, Krishna Naik and Navin Mittal got together to brew classic beers that use local ingredients to create beers like Lost Monday, a Belgian style gold ale and White Zen, inspired by the German Hefeweizen. It supplies to top restaurants across the city, including Woodside Inn and Cafe Nemo. Fun fact: the company was named after Mumbai’s Gateway of India.

5) The White Owl

Where: Mumbai

The White Owl is another popular, early brewpub in Mumbai. They serve craft beers that are free from artificial colours and preservatives. Popular ones are Paulina, a German ale and Ace, a dry apple cider.

6) The Bierre Club

Where: Bangalore

The Bierre Club is to Bangalore what The White Owl is to Mumbai; the pioneer of craft brewery in Bangalore. They allow you to sample their range of beers, including the wheat beer, the stout and their seasonal beer before deciding what you want a pint of.

7) Toit

Where: Bangalore

Toit attributes its conception to a collection of knights on a mission to free their Bangalore countrymen from the shackles of substandard ale. They offer brewery tours where you get to see how they craft delicious beers like their Dark Knight, Tintin Toit and Colonial Toit, as well as understand the best foods to go with beer.

8) Arbor Brewing Company

Where: Bangalore

Patrons who walk into Arbor Brewing Company are immediately surrounded by industrial beer tanks. However, the actual beer they serve is far from industrial; the beers on tap are lovingly crafted and served. This is evident in their menu which explains the detailed process behind the making of each beer.

9) SinQ

Where: Goa

SinQ has established itself as Goa’s first and only microbrewery by importing a specialised brewery machinery called ‘House Brew’ that simplifies the beer- making process. This move has helped them secure their place as one of Goa’s favourite party clubs.

10) Howzatt

Where: Gurgaon

Even if the IPL is nearly over, you can enjoy revelling in the world of cricket while sipping on some of Howzatt’s home-brewed beers. It uses premium imported ingredients to craft its beer.

11) Vapour

Where: Gurgaon

Vapour brews a range of beers from light to dark, and allows its customers to engage in beer-tasting before they place their orders.

12) The Brewmaster

Where: Ludhiana and New Delhi

This brewery put down its roots in Ludhiana and then moved on to New Delhi, wowing beer drinkers with its anti-oxidantrich , innovative micro-brewed beers such as brunette beer, banana beer and vanilla beer.

karishma

When she’s not playing with her dogs, street dogs or her friends’ dogs, Karishma can be found curled up with a large slice of cheesecake and a nice book. She has an intense relationship with spicy food, and her penchant for sushi and sake is always burning holes in her pocket.